Indo-Gangetic plains face ozone threat

A study by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has indicated the possibility of high levels of ozone in the Indo-Gangetic plains stretching across Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal in the next 10 to 20 years, impacting human health and agricultural productivity. The study also indicated dangerously high levels of fine dust particles (bigger than 10 microns or PM-10) occupy almost the entire country.
TERI researcher Sumit Sharma says the study clearly indicates while particulate pollution is the most widespread among Indian cities, pollutants like NOx and ozone are the emerging threats and proactive policies will be required to control these.
The results have given the researchers a fair idea about the intensity of ozone pollution in different regions. Sumit says the 150-km-wide corridor on the southern side of the Himalayas had moderately high levels in 2005, which can run the risk of turning into dangerous level of 120 microgram per cubic metre by 2030 if no action is taken.
Incidentally, while ozone layer at the stratosphere level protects us from UV rays, ozone produced by anthropogenic sources at the ground level is harmful for human health, impacting respiratory system. The three-atom compound can be linked with premature death, asthma, bronchitis, heart attack besides affecting agriculture with yield of wheat, cotton and paddy crops going down due to its increased levels.
Meanwhile, the report also warned that the fine dust might occupy the entire country, with the exception of the southern tip of Tamil Nadu and the western districts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The level of dust will go up from around 100 microgram per cubic metre of air to 200 or more in the next 20 years, in the business as usual scenario, it said.


Source- The tribune newspaper, saturday, june 25, 2011